A Malian national pleaded not guilty Thursday in Brooklyn federal court to the murder of a US diplomat and wounding of one of his Marine guards during a carjacking in Niger, prosecutors said.
Alhassane Ould Mohamed was charged with the 2000 murder and attempted murder of United States Embassy personnel stationed in Niamey, Niger.
Flown into New York Wednesday night, the suspect said little during his brief court appearance other than to convey his plea through an attorney.
“The investigation indicates that the defendant and his confederate brazenly shot and killed diplomat William Bultemeier in Niger, and wounded US Marine Christopher McNeely as he bravely risked his life to attempt to save his colleague,” US Attorney Loretta Lynch said of Mohamed, who was extradited from Mali.
The defendant and a companion allegedly confronted a group of embassy staffers in Niger as they left a restaurant, then shot Bultemeier and McNeely and took off in their embassy vehicle.